Hanson refuses to apologize for calling Indigenous Australians primitive

Pauline Hanson, leader of Australia's One Nation party, has refused to apologize for resurfaced comments in which she described Indigenous Australians as "the most primitive race on Earth," instead doubling down on the remarks and drawing widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum. The controversy stems from a September 2025 appearance on the JJ Podcast, which resurfaced in media reports on Monday. During the interview, Hanson questioned the teaching of Indigenous history and culture in schools, stating: "What the hell have they done in this country for supposedly 60,000 years? They never invented the wheel. There was nothing there. What are we actually holding up? A few, you know, rock paintings. Sorry, they're the most primitive race on Earth. They've achieved nothing." In a News24 interview on Tuesday, Hanson was asked if she was sorry for the comments. She declined to apologize, stating, "If we go back to the time of civilisation in Australia, they were primitive compared to the settlers that came here from England.